Author: Delhi Bureau
Publication: Free Press Journal
Date: November 3, 2007
In a move to keep the good equations struck
with China during the just-concluded Beijing visit of Congress president Sonia
Gandhi going strong, all Union Ministers have been advised, in a top secret
letter delivered at their residences around midnight on Thursday, to keep
off the felicitation of Dalai Lama here on Saturday.
They were bluntly told that the felicitation
was against India's foreign policy and hence they should not associate with
it in any manner. The government's stand surprised the organisers who wondered
when the foreign policy vis-a-vis Dalai Lama was revised.
The felicitation is jointly organised by Gandhi
Peace Foundation, All-Party Indian Parliamentary Forum for Tibet and Core
Group for Tibetan Cause to honour the Tibetan leader in exile on getting the
US Congressional gold medal, the highest civilian award in the United States.
Former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral is to felicitate the spiritual leader
of the Tibetans.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, however, wants
that nobody from his government participate in the function. The top secret
advisory letter that Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar dashed off at the
PM's instance warns the ministers not to attend the felicitation since it
was "not in conformity with the foreign policy of the Government."
"And, therefore, you are directed not
to accept the invitation" for the felicitation function, the letter said.
Organisers are, however, not yet aware of the late night missive as they were
expecting all ministers present in the Capital to grace the occasion, particularly
when India has recognised Dalai Lama and allowed his government in exile on
the Indian soil since after the Chinese occupied Tibet.
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit is listed
among the key speakers and hence it is to be seen whether she too is asked
by the PM or Sonia Gandhi to keep off. Other key speakers listed for the function
are former ambassador Dalip Mehta and Bashista Narain Singh.
